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LHP Jose Alvarado has pitched at times like a veteran since his unexpected promotion from Double-A, and after giving up the eighth-inning hits that led to Monday’s 7-3 loss to the Reds, he sounded like one.

The Rays had just rallied in their seventh to tie the game 3-3 when manager Kevin Cash summoned Alvarado for a tough task, knowing he would face Joey Votto, the lelfty swinger who is one of the game’s best.

“Joey Votto, he’s as good as anybody in baseball,” Cash said.

After Alvarado walked Adam Duvall, Cash went to Danny Farquhar, who eventually gave up a bases loaded two-run single to Jesse Winker that expanded the lead to 6-3.

With Alvarado the only lefty in the pen, Cash said that was the right spot for him to face the toughest lefty hitters.

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LHP Jose Alvarado has pitched at times like a veteran since his unexpected promotion from Double-A, and after giving up the eighth-inning hits that led to Monday’s 7-3 loss to the Reds, he sounded like one.

11:43PM

LHP Jose Alvarado has pitched at times like a veteran since his unexpected promotion from Double-A, and after giving up the eighth-inning hits that led to Monday’s 7-3 loss to the Reds, he sounded like one.

“I don’t feel that frustrated at all, it’s part of baseball,” he said in Spanish. “Just have to take the good days and the bad days. It’s a learning experience and move on, try to do better next time. … Things are going to happen.”

The Rays had just rallied in their seventh to tie the game 3-3 when manager Kevin Cash summoned Alvarado for a tough task, knowing he would face Joey Votto, the lelfty swinger who is one of the game’s best.

Alvarado got off to a bad start, falling behing Scooter Gennett – the Sarasota High product of the recent four-homer fame – 1-0 before giving up the leadoff double.

Then he did the same to Votto, who followed with an RBI single that put the Reds ahead to stay.

“Joey Votto, he’s as good as anybody in baseball,” Cash said. “The only thing and it’d probably be nitpicking, but he fell behind those guys. Saying that, tip your cap. Scooter, he hits a double down the line and then Joey doesn’t waste any time and hits a base hit up the middle to regain the lead.”

After Alvarado walked Adam Duvall, Cash went to Danny Farquhar, who eventually gave up a bases loaded two-run single to Jesse Winker that expanded the lead to 6-3.

With Alvarado the only lefty in the pen, Cash said that was the right spot for him to face the toughest lefty hitters.

“You only have one lefty, you’ve got one bullet, you basically try to save it for that spot,” Cash said.

As impressive as Alvarado has been at times, he has failed the Rays twice in key situations in the last week and has a 5.29 ERA. The return of Brad Boxberger, potentially as soon as Friday, could help as the veteran righthander can be very effective against lefties….